


Trust Me

by write_your_way_out



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Beach Day, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-21 19:10:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11363793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/write_your_way_out/pseuds/write_your_way_out
Summary: Modern day Armin and Sasha take a field trip to the beach, but Armin can't help but notice something is off with Sasha. Can he figure out what she's hiding? Or more importantly, can he find a way to help?





	Trust Me

**Author's Note:**

> More from my tumblr warm ups! This drabble went a bit long, but I had a ton of fun with it.

Armin rarely looked forward to field trips. He was the only student he knew that thought so, but to him, field trips were often pointless and a waste of time. One could go to the museum or zoo on their own like he did. There was no need to take time from the classroom for a school sponsored event.

Today was an exception.

Armin couldn’t remember who encouraged him to sign up for marine biology. It might have been Eren or his science teacher. At any rate, when the field trip to the beach was announced, Armin couldn’t possibly be bitter about it. He loved everything ocean related. The taste of sea salt, the crunch of sand under his toes. The way the sky always looked bluer and brighter near the ocean. How the breeze ruffled through his hair. What wasn’t there to like?

The school bus dropped his class off in a secluded section of the beach. Teachers tried to hand out worksheets, but the kids were already jumping onto the sand before they could stop them. Armin adjusted his towel under his arm, taking the worksheet with a bittersweet smile. He loved learning, but he loved playing in the water even more.

“It’s a partner assignment.” His teacher said. “I don’t think Sasha has anyone yet.” Mr. Smith nodded in the direction of the other student.

Sasha Braus. Armin talked to her as often as he could. Outside of marine biology, Sasha was one of the most popular kids in school. Funny and sweet, most people liked her, Armin included. Perhaps more than he would like to admit. In class though, there always seemed to be something off about her. She was unusually quiet. She sat in the back the room and every once and a while, when Armin glanced back at her (Not that he did often, of course) She looked pale and ghostly.

“Sasha!” He waved her down.

“Oh, Armin! Hi.” Sasha tore her gaze away from the waves to smile at him. His heart leaped into his throat. She had an incredible smile. Everything about her was incredible, actually. From the reddish brown hair that she tied up into a high ponytail, to the mischevious glimmer in her eyes. A pair of aviator’s sunglasses were stuck on top of her head. She wore a pale blue cover-up. School policy required all students wore ‘adequately modest clothing’ until they were ready to get in the water.

“Do you need a partner?” Armin held up the worksheet. It was split into four sections: questions on wildlife, the beach, vegetation, and questions that required them to get into the water. The water questions were positioned in the middle of the sheet.

“Sure!”

“Fantastic.” Armin’s mouth went dry. He didn’t know what to say after that. Sasha always made him tongue-tied. He’d made a secret goal at the beginning of the school year to get her to laugh during class, but whenever he started a joke, he could never quite finish it right.

“Let me put my stuff down, and then we can get started,” Sasha said, sparing him from trying to make conversation.

“Sure thing.” Armin hadn’t noticed the bag she carried. It was smaller than most of the other kid’s. He could spot a towel, sunscreen, and something else. The corner of a bright piece of yellow fabric. He tried to get a better look, but Sasha stuffed her towel down farther as if she was trying to hide it.

“Come on, over here looks good.” She looped her arm around his and drug him up the beach. As far as beaches went, this one was rather long the space between the ocean and the parking lot spanned for ages. At this rate, Sasha was going to take them back to the bus.

“Don’t you think this is far enough?” Armin asked. “We aren’t in danger of getting hit by waves. Not even during high tide.”

Sasha looked back at the ocean. “Yeah, I guess.” A hint of animosity sunk into her voice. Had he said something wrong?

Sasha spread out her blanket and sat down. Her dress hiked up slightly, revealing part of the blue and white swimsuit underneath. Sasha brushed sand off of the fabric before readjusting the dress. “Aren’t you going to sit down?” She raised an eyebrow.

Crap. She’d caught him staring. Armin busied himself with setting down his towel to hide his blush. While he scrambled around, Sasha pulled out her worksheet. “What do you want to work on first?” He asked.

Sasha squinted against the sun to read the sheet. With a sigh, she tried to pull her sunglasses down. One arm yanked back. The clasp had tangled up with her hair. She tried to pull it loose, cringing. She gave up, letting the sunglasses hang from her ponytail like a crooked hat, giving Armin a dramatic pouty face. Her lower lip stuck out and her cheeks turned down. “Can you help me?” She asked. Armin stifled a laugh.

“Here.” He pinched the hair above the tangle and worked the glasses loose. He handed them to Sasha.

“Thanks.”

She scanned over the worksheet. “I thought we could just go in order,” Armin said.

“No!” Sasha yelped. The outburst made Armin jump. “Sorry, I um, I mean, let’s just start with the first section and decide as we go.”

“Okay,” Armin said slowly. Maybe it was the way her fingers gripped her paper harder when a particularly large wave crashed down, but Armin had the feeling Sasha was hiding something.

“First section, wildlife,” Sasha said. “We can do that from here,”

“Name three types of birds you see.” Armin read the first question aloud.

“Seagull,” Sasha started. “And umm….oceangull….and lakegull.”

He snorted. “Ocean gull?”

“He’s an immigrant trying to stay true to his roots.” Sasha insisted. Armin raised an eyebrow. “Okay, so I don’t remember any other types of birds. I must have fallen asleep in class that day.”

“There was an entire month long unit dedicated to birds,” Armin said. Immediately he wished he could take it back. It sounded more condescending than he meant it to.

“Oh,” Sasha looked at the ground. “I must’ve been absent a lot for that unit.”

“You’ve only missed five days of class this year,” Armin said. Sasha looked up, shocked. Damn his mouth. Heat burned his cheeks, and it wasn’t from the sun. “I, ah, I take attendance to the office for Mr. Smith.”

“Oh, right.” Sasha relaxed. It was true, Armin did take down the attendance. Even if he didn’t though, he could note any day Sasha wasn’t in the room. He would notice even without meaning too. The energy shifted when she wasn’t around. “I guess marine bio just isn’t my best subject.”

“I’ve noticed,” Armin said.

‘Really?” Sasha’s head shot up. “Is it that obvious?”

“When we worked together on a lab I asked you what you favorite species of starfish was, and you responded with ‘Peach from Finding Nemo.’”

Sasha blushed. “Oh, God. You must think I’m an idiot.”

“No.” Armind grabbed her hand without thinking. “I don’t think you’re an idiot. You’re funny, smart. Just, not that great at marine bio.”

She laughed.

Oh my God, she laughed. Armin’s heart skipped a beat. He’d done it. He’d made her laugh. “Since I clearly don’t know what I’m doing, could I get a hand on these questions?”

“We’re partners,” Armin said. “We stick together.”

****************

“Who knew there were so many types of birds,” Sasha let out a low whistle.

Armin managed to bite back a teasing remark. Did he know Sasha well enough for those yet? Better safe than sorry.

“Shall we move onto the ocean questions?” Armin suggested.

Sasha went rigid. “How about we do the plants first?” She said. “I could use some extra help on those too.”

She was almost too eager. No one, not even the most invested student, got that excited about plants. As Sasha stood up and brushed out her dress, Armin had no choice but to follow suit. Sasha’s flipflops dug into the sand with each step she took. Guys had it a lot easier, Armin noted. School dress code let him wear his swim trunks as shorts and throw a rash guard on top. But girls had to wear cover-ups. They looked scratchy to him, but Sasha didn’t seem to care. She was too invested in the worksheet.

Her dress was a baby blue, but as she moved, Armin noted that there were subtle undertones of indigo too. They rippled like the waves when she walked. The sleeves were large and flowy, sliding down her shoulders every time she moved. She had freckles there. He’d never noticed before. A line of white lace rimmed the V-neck collar. Whatever fashion magazine she’d bought it from, she was pretty enough to be the model.

After plants, Sasha insisted on answering questions about the beach. By then, Armin was sure she was avoiding the ocean on purpose. When all the sections were filled out but the final one, Armin studied her face as he asked, “Ready for the water?”

Sasha clasped a fist around her cover-up. “Not yet.”

‘It’s the only section left.”

“I need…” Sasha looked around. “I need sunscreen! I burn easily.” She pulled a can from her bag.

Right. Even if it was an excuse, it was probably a good idea. “Do you need some?” Sasha offered him the bottle. Might as well. Armin took the rash guard off and shook it out. He rolled it into his towel. Since they were going into the water after this, he probably wouldn’t need it again.

When he turned back around, his stomach plummeted to his feet. Sasha folded up her cover-up, revealing the blue and white striped swimsuit underneath. The two piece revealed the paler skin of her stomach and back. There was something tempting about the line where her sunkissed skin met the parts that didn’t see the light. Armin looked away before he was caught.

“Do you need help getting your back?” Sasha offered. “I’ll get you if you get me.”

There was a school rule about that kind of thing, but he was helpless to say no. Armin nodded wordlessly. He didn’t trust himself to speak. Sasha sat down in front of him and pulled her hair out of the way. He poured a dollop of sunscreen onto his hands and spread it down her shoulders. The freckles on her shoulders were in plain sight again.

“I never knew you had freckles.” He said.

“My makeup covers the ones on my face up.” Sasha shrugged.

“I like them.”

“Thanks.” When he’d rubbed in the last streaks of white, he leaned away and set the bottle in front of her.

“Turn around,” Sasha spun her finger in a circular motion. Armin sat with his back to her.

Without warning, a splatter of cold cream landed on his skin. “Ack!” He flinched away.

‘Sorry. Should have warned you. It’s cold.” Sasha said.

“You don’t say.”

She spread it over his skin quickly. “Do you burn easily?”

“Not really.” Despite his fairness, his skin never seemed to burn -or tan, leaving him like a white sheet of paper.

“Lucky.” He could hear her frown

“Don’t you like your freckles?” Armin asked.

“They’re okay. But they feel more like blemishes to hide than something to be proud of.”

“They’re cute!” Armin protested. The words fell from his mouth before he could stop them. He slapped a hand over his lips. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s okay,” Sasha said slowly. She pulled away. “You’re finished.

"Finished?”

“The sunscreen.” Sasha reminded him.

“Oh, right. Are you ready to go into the water?”

“I can’t!” Sasha blurted out. Armin turned to look at her. Her cheeks were a rosy pink. She scratched the back of her neck. “I mean, I can’t yet. The sunscreen has to sink in. If we go into the water now, it’ll all wash away. I’ll burn.”

“How long will it take to sink in?”

Sasha checked the bottle. “It says to wait at least ten minutes.”

Armin couldn’t suppress a groan. “That’s such a long time!” All he wanted was to feel the waves under his body. The sand curl under his toes. The cold of the water droplets as they hit his skin. It was so hot out on the beach. Sun reflected off of the sand and towels. With the added humidity it felt like a sauna.

“It isn’t that long,” Sasha said. The words seemed more like worry to Armin than reassurance. “We’re here until three. It’s barely even ten in the morning. You’ll have all the time in the world to swim.”

“Are you sure you won’t find another excuse to keep us out of the water?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Sasha pulled her knees up to her chest. Her face tilted away from him, looking down the beach at their classmates. Most of them weren’t as diligent in academics, choosing to procrastinate the worksheet. or blow it off altogether. Some of them were playing a round of ultimate frisbee. Another group had set up a makeshift volleyball net and played with a beach ball. Even more were in the water, splashing, and shouting. Someone brought along an inflatable raft and a round of raft wars had started.

“I’m not blind, Sasha. You’ve been avoiding the water on purpose.”

“I have not been!” She folded her arms over her chest. “Excuse me for not wanting to turn into a lobster, Mr-I-don’t-burn-easily-Arlert.”

“Okay, okay.” Armin held up his hands. An idea formed in his mind. “Can I see the bottle for a minute?” Acting like he had given up on the dispute, he pulled the sunscreen from Sasha’s hand. She didn’t argue. As she watched their classmates, Armin read over the instructions.

“Sasha.”

“Hm?”

“Where did you see the ten minutes?”

She turned her head to him. 'What do you mean?“

"The part that said you had to wait ten minutes before going into the water. Where did you see that?” He held the bottle out to her. Her eyes flared in panic for a brief moment before she masked it with a fake smile.

"I don’t see it anymore. I must have misread it.“ A nervous laugh escaped her lips.

"It doesn’t say anything about waiting. I think we can go ahead and jump into the ocean.” He stood and stretched out.

"I-“ Sasha started to say something, but stopped midway.

"What is it? I thought you said you weren’t avoiding the water.” Take the bait, Armin begged. Please.

"I’m not!“ Sasha insisted.

"Then prove it! Let’s go!” Armin didn’t turn around to see if she was following. He heard her footsteps, determined not to be called a scardy cat, trailing behind his. The lap of the waves rinsed over his feet. The wet sand sunk under his weight like a sponge. He smiled and took another step in.

The water froze his skin. Every nerve of his being was awake with the tingling sensation of the waves. He felt every movement of the waves, every push and pull. He opened his eyes. The ocean spanned for miles. Feet after feet, yard after yard, for eternity. As far as he could see, the blue waves lapped over each other until the water blended into the horizon. Sparkles of white bounced off of the sea salt, dazzling him with nature’s disco lights.

This was what he was waiting for. Dreaming of. One step. Another. One after one until he was waist deep in the ocean’s grasp.

But he couldn’t enjoy it. Something was wrong. Sasha wasn’t next to him anymore. He’d left her behind long ago. She stood at the edge of the beach, just far enough so that the waves could crash over her toes, but nothing else. Her arms hugged her body, shaking. She was frozen to the spot, staring at the water beyond her feet like it was the catalyst to a reaction she wanted no part of. “Sasha?” Armin asked.

She looked up. Her eyes sparkled, but not with the usual mischevious glint. Terror. Her teeth chattered and her lips were parted ever so slightly, like she had to say something, but had forgotten how to speak. “Are you ok?” Armin asked. He took a step towards her, wading through the water until he was in ankle depth.

Sasha took a deep breath. It caught in her throat and wavered as she spoke. “Fine. You caught me.”

“Caught you?”

“I don’t know how to swim.“ She admitted. A tear trickled down her cheek. "My dad tried to teach me, but it didn’t work. I’ve been terrified of deep water since I was a kid.”

So that was her secret. Armin knew with the right push, he would discover it, but looking at how utterly terrified she was, he wondered if the information had been worth its price. “Why are you scared of it?”

"Why are you scared of death? Of failure? Of being left behind? I don’t know why it scares me.“

"Why did you choose to take marine bio?” Armin asked. The question was superficial and he knew it, but the irony of the situation was too great to bear.

"I thought it would help. I thought learning about the ocean and what lies within it, beyond it, would help me understand it. And understanding it would help me defeat my fear, but it only made things worse! How could I stare at the powerpoints and videos Mr. Smith showed of the water?“ Sasha raised her voice. "And don’t get me started on the animals down there! They’re terrifying! And riptides, currents. They can pull you away at any second. You have no control. Once you step off the sand, you’re at the mercy of a non-sentient being that can tear you apart.”

"There’s no riptide here. And the way the reef is, the only animals are fish. Maybe a sponge here and there. This is hardly deep water.“ Armin tried to reason with her.

"I know that!” Sasha snapped. She ducked her head down and inhaled a ragged breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. I’m just…. so sick of being scared.”

"You don’t have to be,“ Armin said. "I can teach you. Sasha, would you like to learn how to swim?” He stretched out an arm, offering her his hand. She looked at him with a mix of unease and excitement. Some of the brightness returned to her eyes.

"I don’t know,“ She hesitated.

"Trust me,”

She took his hand.

Her fingers were clammy in his. Fingertips pale and white. Her palm had telltale nail marks on the inside, blood rushing to the area. Her nails were long, painted a dark green, though it had chipped off for the most part.

Sasha took a step forward and gasped.

"Sorry, should’ve warned you. It’s cold.“ Armin couldn’t help but mimick her words.

"Is this far enough?” Sasha asked.

"You’re ankle deep. You have to be at least waist deep before I can really teach you how to swim.“

"That’s deep,” she gulped.

"If something happens, you can just stand up,“ Armin said.

"I don’t know…”

"Sasha,“ Armin pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. That was a comforting motion, right? Armin didn’t have a lot of friends who were girls besides Mikasa. It wasn’t often that Mikasa needed to be comforted, and when she did, usually pure words would do the trick. "I’ll be right there with you.”

Sasha squeezed his hand. “You better not let go.”

"I’m not going to let go,“ Armin promised. "Not until you want me to.”

"That’s like, a line straight out of every Dad teaching his kid to ride a bike’s book. 'I’m not going to let go’ He says right before letting go without the kid knowing. The kid faceplants into a bush.“

"There aren’t any bushes out here. You won’t faceplant into anything.”

Sasha took another step. Her eyes glared at the water beneath her, frustrated. “Don’t look down. Look at me.” Armin suggested. “We’ll be there before you know it.”

She gasped when the water hit her hips. “Just a little farther?” She asked.

"Almost there.“ Armin agreed.

One more step. "Here. This is good.”

Sasha stopped walking. Her muscles tensed and unraveled, adjusting to the surroundings. “It isn’t so bad.”

"Do you know how to float?“ Armin asked.

"I think the life jacket my dad shoved in my bag answers that question.” A life jacket. So that was what he’d seen earlier. No wonder Sasha was in a hurry to hide it.

"Well, you can either float on your back, or stomach. Which do you want to learn?“

"Isn’t the stomach one called dead man’s float?”

"Names are just names.“

"Let’s not learn that one. I’d prefer to be alive at the end of this.” Sasha said.

"Okay. Turn your back to me.“ Armin instructed. "Bend your knees until your back is close to the water then kick up. I’ll catch you.”

Sasha raised an eyebrow. “Catch me?”

"I’ll help you into the float.“ Armin tugged on his ear, trying to fight back a blush. "Is it…is it okay if I touch your back?”

"You really are awkward when it comes to girls,“ Sasha remarked.

"What? I don’t know what you mean.” He laughed, thought it was forced. Was he that transparent? He needed to get better at hiding his feelings. Although, perhaps the fact that Sasha was able to make fun of him was a good thing. She was back to her normal self, at least a little bit. She wasn’t as scared.

"If you’re helping me learn to swim, and float, I assume you’ll have to touch my waist. But go near my butt and I’ll wring your neck.“

His face burned. Sunscreen couldn’t do anything to prevent him from turning to a lobster when it came to girls. Sasha burst out laughing. "You are hilarious when you’re flustered.” She said. “Ready?”

"Kick back,“ Armin instructed, trying to find his cool again. "Kick back, and I’ll catch you.”

"I’m trusting you.“ Sasha turned her back to him. A streak of white smeared her shoulder where he’d missed rubbing in the sunscreen. She bent her knees and fell back.

Armin stepped forward and placed a hand under her neck and under her lower back. "Kick your legs up. Don’t let them bend or sink. They should feel like they’re lying in the water.”

Sasha extended her legs. “Like that?”

"Arch you back.“ He pressed his palm into the small of her back. She lifted her spine into an arc. "Use your hands for extra support. Shape them like shovels and scoop the water.”

It was Armin’s grandpa that had taught him how to swim. It was the exact metaphor he had used. Although, since they were farmers, it probably made more sense to Armin than it did to Sasha. Armin was pretty sure she had been born in the city. He’d bounced back and forth his entire life from the countryside to urban areas.

If Sasha was from the city, it explained how she’s managed to go so long without learning how to swim .She never had a need. “Yes, just like that!” Her shoulders rotated down and back, moving gently with the waves. She was practically a natural.

"Not bad for a runner, is it?“ Sasha grinned at him. Right. He kept forgetting Sasha was on the track and cross country teams. She was fast, too. As her arms moved, he could see layers of muscle rippling back and forth in her arms. She was an all-around athlete.

"I’m going to let go now.” He slid his hands away. Sasha stayed upright, though her movements strained. She grinned. A laugh escaped her lips.

"I’m actually doing it. Oh my God, I’m not dead.“

"I told you that you could trust me,” Armin said. Hands on his hips, he tried not to sound superior.

Sasha flipped her legs beneath her and stood up. Rivers of water trailed down her arms and chest. Her ponytail stuck her her back, except for a stray bundle of hair that clung to her shoulder. “I want to try it in deeper water.” She said. A glimmer of hope sparkled in her eye.

"How far out?“ Armin raised an eyebrow.

She grabbed his hand and tugged him after her as she strained to walk. The deeper they got, the more her feet wanted to kick off of the ground. It was like moon walking. Sasha wasn’t scared anymore. "Here.” She grounded her heels into the sand in shoulder deep water. Armin was just a little bit taller than her.

He treaded water, feet kicking beneath him. He bounced along with the waves.“Do you need help?”

"Let me try it on my own,“ Sasha said. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She floated to the surface, mouth parted slightly, eyebrows tensed in focus. Armin counted the seconds.

Five. Ten. Fifteen. Just before he reached twenty, a large wave rolled over her face. Sasha’s concentration broke and she floundered around, coughing and spitting until she could find her footing again.

"Are you okay?” Armin asked. Sasha grabbed his arm, determination sparkling in her eyes.

"How long? How long was I floating?“

"Twenty seconds,” Armin rounded up. Sasha threw her arms into the air.

“Yes! Take that, scary oblivion of endless water!” She screamed at the sea. Armin bent over laughing. “We did it Armin.” She flung her arms round his neck, pulling him into a hug.

"You did it.“ Armin corrected, returning her embrace.

Sasha leaned back so she could look him dead in the eye. "I couldn’t have done it without such a marvelous teacher.”

"It’s simple, really-“

"Armin. Save your science for another day.” Sasha pressed her forehead to his. His heart froze. “Let me say thank you.”

"Okay.“ Was all he managed to squeak out.

Sasha pulled him in again, using her arm to tilt his head slightly. She pressed her lips against his. "Thank you.”


End file.
